A Lindenhurst man has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for a deadly 2024 crash on the Southern State Parkway.
Prosecutors say Felix Pantaleon weaved between lanes at up to 121 mph and recorded himself with his cellphone just before the collision took place near Exit 39S in North Babylon.
The 24-year-old rear-ended an SUV driven by Reynaldo Collado, of West Babylon. Both vehicles veered off the roadway after impact and landed in a nearby wooded area.
Collado was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger was seriously hurt, sustaining a fractured vertebrae and pelvis.
Three other occupants sustained multiple injuries requiring hospitalization and treatment.
In a release announcing the sentencing, Suffolk County District Attorney stated that prison time is a fitting punishment for Pantaleon’s actions.
“Driving at 121 mph is not a mistake. It is a deliberate choice,” he said. “This defendant made that choice, which resulted in the tragic death of 49-year-old Reynaldo Collado and injuries to four others. Today, he is being held accountable for that deadly decision.”